"There is a common argument used against the idea of purgatory in some circles which goes like this: "St. Paul says that 'to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord' (2 Cor. 5:8). It's that simple: If you're a Christian and you aren't in your body then you are with Jesus in heaven. There is no room for purgatory in St. Paul's view. Purgatory is just a Catholic fable--a 'man made tradition.'"
Jimmy Akin
What happens at death?
Here is a quote and we're going to talk about this topic
Who is currently in Heaven ?
"All my life I have heard that when Christians pass away, they go directly to Heaven. Recently I read John 3:13. Does this mean that only The Trinity is in Heaven? What about Elijah and Enoch?"
John 3:13
Kjv - 13
13] And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
My recollection is if you are a believer and you are truly saved you will be absent from the body and present with the Lord. If you are an unbeliever my recollection is you will be absent from the body and present in torment which is hell. There is conflicting reports and scriptures on this. There are various Christian's that believe your body dies and goes to the grave and your soul goes back to God who gave it. You don't rise again until Christ comes back and gives the word which is the calling and true Christians being born again will in a blink of an eye be transformed into UN corruptible bodies ( caught up to meet the Lord in the air ) and when the wicked are called to rise they will rise to condemnation. But I say many Christians believe you don't rise until Christ comes back and they even say that there's no one in hell right now and there's no one in heaven. Of course this could be debated.
Before I look into scripture let's just recall a few things being biblical. One of them is that the Messiah on the cross told the thief that he will be in paradise with him that very day. The other one is remember when Christ had the Transfiguration and didn't Moses and Elijah appear? The other one is remember the rich man that went to Hades or the hell and said go tell my seven brothers don't come here. He begged if he can get out and he was told if they don't believe Moses and the prophets they won't believe if we let you in essence come out of hell and go warn your brothers. Then there is the other scripture where Christ said that children's angels behold the face of his father in heaven. Matthew 18:10 Now that parable about the rich man who did not feed the Lazareth and went to hell some people say it's just a parable sort of fiction to make a point but yet again there's another one.
Just briefly there have been people that have had near-death experiences and weren't true believers and we're told Christ did not know them. Some of these people made a hundred percent turn around. That's one point but there are many near-death experiences for many many years now. People have dreams of hell and people have dreams of heaven. The strange thing is even atheists some of them have had near-death experiences of hell and became true believers. There is also evidence of near-death experiences and many many testimonies that neurosurgeons talk about. They believe something is going on. So now at this point let's take a look what scripture says. 9:21 p.m. May 3 2022
Ecclesiastes 9:5
“For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.”
King James Version (KJV)
You can study that passage above for their memory becomes forgotten eventually as time passes with some people. Remember the rich man had consciousness as he was in hell. And he could see a fix gulf but he was not able to cross it.
Luke 23:42-47
King James Version
42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
43 And Jesus said unto him , Verily I say unto thee , Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
So you can scratch your head all you want because he said today the thief will be in paradise with him.
Matthew 17:3
“ And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him .”
King James Version (KJV)
Isaiah 5:14
King James Version
14 Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it.
Luke 16:23-26
King James Version
23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
Here's what I think some people or Christians actually believe. A man named Tim Maas wrote this..
" Although some branches of Christianity subscribe to the doctrine of "soul sleep" (which I believe that previous discussions on eBible.com have called into question) until the second coming of Christ, I would say that the predominant Christian view is that the soul of the individual is judged immediately at death and sent to either heaven (based on saving faith in Christ) or hell.
(Prior to Christ's resurrection, souls that had been saved through faith in God, as well as individuals such as Enoch ( Genesis 5:24 ) and Elijah ( 2 Kings 2:11 ) (neither of whom died), and the resurrected Moses ( Jude 9 ), went to a temporary abode (Paradise). This was what Christ meant in John 3:13 when He said during His earthly life that no one had ascended to heaven. When Christ ascended to heaven, He took them with Him ( Ephesians 4:8 ). The souls of the unsaved went to a temporary abode of punishment, referred to as Hades or Sheol, awaiting the final judgment at the return of Christ.)
When Christ returns and the dead are physically resurrected, the glorified bodies of the redeemed will be reunited with their souls to spend eternity in heaven, while the souls and bodies of the resurrected unredeemed will be sent to Hell ( Matthew 25:31-46 )."
December 14 2018
And Noah day how many people were saved or went to heaven?
According to the post-biblical Midrash, eight people went to (or will go to) heaven (also referred to as the Garden of Eden and paradise) alive: Enoch, Noah's great grandfather ( Genesis 5:22–24 )
As I say I'll be looking into this more later meaning some other time but in my after notes remember when Christ raised Lazarus or anyone they were raised there and then. Now of course it's his doing. There is the scenario about the angels gathering the elect from the four corners of the Earth when he comes back. Remember the rich man had consciousness as he was in hell. And he could see a fixed gulf but he was not able to cross it. There is a well-known story about a very sinful man on his Deathbed being operated on and every time he lost consciousness he felt himself burning and he told the doctor to save him from hell and the doctor was an atheist and became a True Believer. The doctor realized what he was saying how to be true based on his anguished and he prayed for him and then the man felt relaxed. There's another story with a very wicked man who went in and out of consciousness while his family was waiting for him to pass away and he had a hard face scared out of hell for what he was seeing. Some say that he seen the death angel.
Compelling Telling truth about what happens after death
You could read it yourself indepth.
QUOTE
" It seems that while the souls/spirits of believers go to be with Christ immediately after death, the physical body remains in the grave “sleeping.” At the resurrection of believers, the physical body is resurrected, glorified, and then reunited with the soul/spirit. This reunited and glorified body-soul-spirit will be the possession of believers for eternity in the new heavens and new earth ( Revelation 21-22 )." Credited got question
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Continuing Wednesday May 4, 2022
This first video will give you a general idea of what people think or might not know. There are literally thousands of religions in the world. The Bible says the devil deceives the entire world. Why would God allow this? It is the greatest test in your life.
4, 20
The Bible says the devil deceives the entire world
There is a video it is worth watching just to get an insight but there is another video below. It is my belief that the very educated in biblical Christianity believe exactly what is written here and what is in the biblical Christianity video below.
Revelation 20:13-15
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
Above the wicked wake up to judgment. Even if they die in their sins and their soul ascends into hell for punishment they still it appears have to stand the great white throne judgment.
To close off this morning and as I say you can read the entire article yourself but here is a quote..
" However, even though unbelievers are not instantly sent to the lake of fire, their immediate fate after death is not a pleasant one. The rich man cried out, “I am in agony in this fire ” ( Luke 16:24 ).
Therefore, after death, a person resides in either a place of comfort or in a place of torment . "
" These realms act as a temporary “heaven“ and a temporary “hell“ until the resurrection. At that point, the soul is reunited with the body, but no one’s eternal destiny will change. The first resurrection is for the “blessed and holy“ ( Revelation 20:6 )—everyone who is in Christ—and those who are part of the first resurrection will enter the millennial kingdom and, ultimately, the new heavens and new earth ( Revelation 21:1 ). "
So I took parts and quoted from gotquestion. A general synopsis. The Bible does not say in vain the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. I'll remind you that I am often reminded that the unblemished Lamb of God whom is risen and sits at the right hand of the father as described perfectly in the King James Bible warns if anybody tries to enter his kingdom by any other means by that narrow and straight way they are nothing but a thief and a robber. Christ said that many will try to enter in the broad way. 7:44 a.m. this morning M ay 4, 2022